Modern marketing enterprises make extensive use of shipping and display crates to protect products during shipping and to display products in a manner appealing to customers. Wooden crates are commonly used, since they are attractive and biodegradable.
A conventional crate typically comprises a pair of solid wooden end plates or blocks to which are nailed, stapled or screwed or otherwise mechanically affixed or glued a plurality of wooden slats which form the top, bottom, front and back walls of the crate. Manufacture of the crate is somewhat time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, conventional wooden crates require tools to open, i.e. to pry off the slats. Moreover, prying off the slats often results in splitting the slats, so that the crate cannot be reused.